3-D Revolution: The History of Modern Stereoscopic Cinema

In 2009, Avatar, a 3-D movie directed by James Cameron, became the most successful motion picture of all time, a technological breakthrough that has grossed more than $2.5 billion worldwide. Its seamless computer-generated imagery and live action stereo photography effectively defined the importance of 3-D to the future of cinema, as well as all other currently evolving digital displays. Though stereoscopic cinema began in the early nineteenth century and exploded in the 1950s in Hollywood, its present status as an enduring genre was confirmed by Avatar’s success.

3-D Revolution: The History of Modern Stereoscopic Cinema traces the rise of modern 3-D technology from Arch Oboler’s Bwana Devil (1952), which launched the 50s 3-D boom in Hollywood, to the rapidly-modernizing 3-D industry today. Ray Zone takes a comprehensive approach that not only examines the technology of the films, but also investigates the business, culture, and art of their production. Influencing new generations of filmmakers for decades, the evolution of 3-D cinema technology continues to fill our theaters with summer blockbusters and holiday megahits.

Ray Zone is an award-winning 3D artist, speaker and film producer. He is the author of Stereoscopic Cinema and the Origins of 3-D film, 1838-1952 and lives in Hollywood. California.

"It is indeed rare to come across a book that captures a revolutionary movement in film history as well as this tome has. In documenting the history of 3-D motion pictures, from the inception of film making up through the latest digital 3-D technology, Zone has produced an extremely significant legacy."--Susan Pinsky, proprietor of Reel 3-D Enterprises

"Ray Zone is uniquely positioned to write 3-D Revolution. As a dedicated historian and writer, he has witnessed the advancement of stereoscopic cinema as one of its closest observers, and living in Los Angeles at the heart of commercial movie making has given him access to every development and the people involved. His attention to detail is impeccable and his ability to represent the many conflicting perspectives on stereoscopic cinema with fairness and balance is one of his greatest skills."--Phil Captain 3-D McNally

"Ray Zone is your expert guide to the third dimension. In this fascinating book, we are taken on a journey back to the early days of cinema when experiments in stereo photography opened up entirely new worlds to audiences across the globe. Ray's informed and thoughtful insight into the characters past and present who devised the amazing inventions makes this an incredible adventure through an important part of our cinematic history."--Buzz Hays, S3D Producer and Consultant at True Image Company

"Zone has been everywhere, knows everyone and has seen everything. 3-D Revolution will be an indispensable reference for students, scholars, journalists and anyone who wants to really understand not just what happened with 3-D, but how it happened."-- David S. Cohen, technology columnist, Variety

"It is indeed rare to come across a book that captures a revolutionary movement in film history as well as this tome has. In documenting the history of 3-D motion pictures, from the inception of filmmaking up through the latest digital 3-D technology, Zone has produced an extremely significant legacy. --Susan Pinsky, proprietor of Reel 3-D Enterprises

"Zone has written a really good and up-to-date history of our favorite topic."--3DTV